Dave Brodett spilled the beans against Alabang Boy

Celebrated basketballer Dave Brodett, who's now in the golf business, was in tears when he faced the House Committee on Drugs yesterday. Along with his wife Marissa and two adult kids, he blamed his sister in law, Myra Brodett, the mother of drug suspect Richard Brodett, for tolerating the alleged illegal acts of her kid. In an emotionally charged appeal, Dave asked for the public's understanding. He said that he came before the Committee on his own volition. He was not coerced nor pressured by PDEA.

He came out because he loved his father---the elder Brodett, who built the family name and brought honor to it. Now, Dave said, the same surname which he has carried proudly, is now being tarnished by the acts of his nephew. Dave went there to regain his family's honor.

As a parent myself, I felt the pain of Dave Brodett. It's hard really to go anywhere carrying that baggage of being tagged as a relative of an alleged "high-society drug pusher". Yet, some things had to be done. Maybe Dave thought that this is the right time to go out in the open and expose the nefarious activities of his nephew. Come clean, maybe he thought. At least that would put his family out of this heat for the meantime.

And I don't believe that obvious PR slant that Dave Brodett was just motivated by anger against his own brother Butch Brodett and his anger against his nephew, Richard Brodett. Atty. Verano, counsel of the accused, said that the family of Dave had a spat, a "family feud", against the family of his brother.

Probably, there was really a feud between the two families. Why? Dave provided the answer. Because allegedly his sister-in-law, Myra Brodett, tolerated the drug use and illegal peddling of his son simply because she, herself, is a drug addict. Worst, Anton Brodett, his son, was once lured into drug addiction by his cousin, Richard Brodett.

Is that a legitimate cause to feud with your sister-in-law? Obviously yes. When you see your kid being dragged into drugs by his cousin and you see your sister-in-law even tolerating it, would you not seethe in anger as well?

Alabang Drug Lords--too hot to handle?

(I first wrote this over at http://www.filipinovoices.com/

In the widely televised House Committee on Drugs hearing today, three things were established. First, the PDEA led by the courageous Marine Mayor Ferdinand Marcelino conducted the Ayala Alabang buy-bust operation according to plan. They conducted a pre-arrest investigation. They cased the suspects. Eventually, they were able to entrap them thru a buy-bust operation.

Based on the report, Richard Brodett, son of popular golf icon, "Butch" Brodett was the head of the group composed of Joseph Ramirez Tecson and Jorge Jordana, son of Johnny "Midnight" Joseph Jordana. When these drug pushers were interrogated, PDEA found how Brodett got his illegal drugs from abroad. They followed procedures.

Surprisingly though, the prosecutors who handled the case, Senior State Prosecutor Philip Kimpo and the one who penned the resolution, ProsecutorJoseph Resado did not see it that way, and it was affirmed by Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuno who even defended the DOJ position before the media. (Previous to this celebrated case, there were reportedly some cases involving Zuno. One of the reasons reportedly given why Zuno was not chosen for the Associate Justice post is allegations of reported bribery. However, Zuno, I think, is not that gullible.)

By the way, the ponente , Prosecutor Resado, admitted having been a student of the Alabang boy's lead counsel, Atty. Felisberto Verano Jr. who is now under water for allegedly trying to wiesel his way out of a rejection to release his clients by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales.

Atty. Verano, incidentally, is a fraternity brother of DOJ Undersecretary Ric Blancaflor, whose name was dragged into this case after allegedly calling up Major Marcelino of PDEA for a followup.Their fraternity is the Order of Utopia, a law frat based at the Ateneo de Manila School of Law.

The House committee decided to call Atty. Verano after they found out that Atty. Verano reportedly tried to do a fast one when he allegedly gave an envelope containing a draft release order to the secretary of his frat brother, Undersecretary Ric Blancaflor who, in turn, immediately went to the office of the DOJ secretary Gonzales for him to sign the draft release order.

Second, the bribery attempts did take place, according to Major Marcelino. He was reportedly pressured by JoTec, a relative of one of the suspects and even his own PMA Class 1994 mistah. Marcelino made us all proud when he resisted all attempts at releasing these high-society drug peddlers.

Lastly, it seemed that, based on the hearing, there are certain procedural aspects that both the DOJ and the PDEA should resolve. That's why the Dangerous Drug Board, headed by former Senator Tito Sotto recommended that a prosecutory unit be created within PDEA that will try all these drug cases.

IN all these, let the wheels of justice grind against these scums of the earth. PR operators are moving right now in the media to mitigate the effects of these revelations, but, their attempts will be put to naught. The truth will come out. These devils who sell these illegal drugs should be put to death, whoever they may be.

And, for the first time, I would like to commend Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for standing her ground on this one. It is highly commendable, even heart-warming, to hear Mrs. Arroyo even calling Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales and ordering him not to release the Brodett-Tecson-Jordana drug trio, pending review of the resolution. For all our differences in opinion before, this one, I salute President Gloria Arroyo.

To Major Marcelino and General Santiago--sirs, the Filipino People salute you. May your tribe increase. May you continue your fine work. For our idealistic brothers in PDEA, sirs, continue to do the good work for and on behalf of the Filipino People. We salute you sirs.

If all the mistahs will work for the betterment of the system and work against those who create evil in this country, we will have a better country and we will not need a Patricio Mangubat anymore.